Be Your Own Ritualist: Reconnecting Directly with Great Nature

祈りの矢よ飛んで行け 鈴の音響かせいま放たれよ

Hello.

I have written before on this blog about how science, religion, agriculture, medicine, and even economics were originally objects of faith.

Even if we forget this fact, it is imprinted in our DNA. It is as if the vast records of experiences lived by our countless ancestors possess the ability to resurface within us at any given moment.

It is difficult to put into words, but I believe you have experienced that sensation where something "clicks" or settles deep in your core, even if you cannot explain why. When we consider that the records of experiences from an unimaginable history are transmitted instantaneously to us, their descendants, it feels truly profound.

The foundation of this immense record—our DNA—is rooted in "Wa" (Harmony). When we deviate from this harmony, a natural force works to pull us back toward it.

I feel that thanks to the countless ancestors who lived before us, we are able to experience various things and take instinctive action to avoid danger when we encounter it.

However, there seems to be one specific part of our DNA record that has fallen into dysfunction: our excessive distance from "Great Nature" (the Divine) and "Nature" (the Spirits).

For example, it is common to see people offering prayers at shrines or temples, yet we rarely see people offering prayers to the sun, the mountains, the sea, or the fields. In modern times, such an act might even appear strange to some. While few people would throw trash in a shrine, the illegal dumping of waste in mountains, rivers, and oceans continues unabated.

Why is this?

Originally, we possessed a direct, one-on-one relationship with Great Nature. There should be nothing standing between ourselves and the natural world.

I cannot help but feel that it is vital for us to once again align and unite with Nature. In Ko-Shinto (Ancient Shinto), this union of the divine and the human is referred to as "Shinjin-Gouitsu" or "Kannagara" (The Way of the Divine).

It is truly regrettable that many modern religious figures do not speak of this.

People pay priests at shrines for prayers or monks at temples for sutras, believing that because they paid, "good things will happen," "ancestors will find peace," or "wishes will come true."

This is a fundamental misunderstanding.

The most important thing is to connect directly, without any intermediary. In other words, you yourself must become the "Ritualist"—the one who worships nature and honors the spirits of the ancestors.

With gratitude, Hanasaki Asahi

Asahi Hanasaki 

From this land of prayer, I, Asahi Hanasaki, am introducing the "Harmony of Wa" to the whole world. 

I am a delivery driver in Japan who also helps protect and maintain a traditional Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple. Balancing these two worlds gives me a unique perspective on modern society. Through my writing, I aim to share the warmth of mutual aid and help readers find the courage to live another day.